


Among Stars

by oaken



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: F/M, Siren!Luna, Space Pirates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-13
Updated: 2018-02-13
Packaged: 2019-03-17 22:43:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13668852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oaken/pseuds/oaken
Summary: The infamous pirate crew of Glaive visits the mysterious Antiquarian. His hidden treasure - a woman with the voice of a bird - turns out far too tempting for captain Nyx to leave her behind.





	Among Stars

The neglected landing platform groaned as the engine of the sleek brigantine huffed to a halt. Hydraulics finished a smooth touchdown upon the moss-covered steel. Mechanical sail frameworks lowered, and the sunlight-powered panels that made up the curve of sails flickered out to save the energy reserves of the spacecraft. 

Glaive was a beautiful ship. After landing she sat among the vegetation and old steel constructions like something entirely alien. Her polished dark surface glistened in the warm daylight. Birds that had chirped upon Glaive’s arrival sat silent now, afraid to approach the massive, dark form. The nature that had started to reclaim most of the old air station many years ago seemed to hold its breath.

The silence was broken by the airtight door opening. Along with pressurized steam three forms dressed in black appeared. Two men and a woman. Their weight did nothing to the platform that comfortably supported the ship despite the initial protest of rust-covered stabilizers. Still, the largest of the three-people crew stepped timidly onto the solid foundation, feeling it with a toe first before putting one foot, then the other upon it. He did not look convinced of the stability of this construction.

“How long until this place falls apart? I’d rather not be there when that happens.”

The man that had stepped out of the ship next laughed.

“You’re just not good with decompression, Libertus. It’s that, right?”

“...That might be a part of it.”

“Will you two move already?” the woman’s voice behind the two rang out with a hint of impatience to it.

Both Libertus and Nyx knew better than to argue when their teammate had gotten antsy to stretch her legs after a long travel. Crowe happened to be the type of person that wouldn’t hesitate to stretch her legs up their asses if they were too slow for her liking - an outcome neither of the other two was too enthused about. The men exchanged a quick glance and moved aside to allow the final member of the Glaive’s crew onto the platform.

Crowe did not appear anywhere as worried about her footing as Libertus. She stretched, rolled her shoulders and sauntered off. Heels of her heavy boots sunk in the softness of the moss with every step. It muffled the sound of her footsteps that would echo in the empty space around them otherwise. The woman scrunched her nose when the moss also upset her balance and made her extend her arms sideways to not wobble as she walked. Crowe slinked off and ducked under the hull to inspect a minor damage the brigantine had taken during their escape.

Out of the three she was most in touch with the technology and construction that made up the spacecraft. Crowe was what made it lift up and land, what kept Glaive moving ever forward among the stars. Whenever the three-person crew stopped to restock or sell some of the goods acquired in their missions, she made sure of the ship’s condition first. Bony but strong hands that did not fear getting burnt in steam or coated in oil that wouldn’t wash off for days. Keen eyes that located faults, and a steel grip that fixed each and every one.

Libertus, who still seemed somewhat unsure of the old landing platform and stuck to the sides where construction was welded together in thick, web-like patterns, was their eyes. Map - no matter how old or new, no matter its origin or language - was a clear view of the space for him. The very complex galaxies of the universe in their endlessness made such sense in Libertus’ mind that he found a way through anything with one glance in his map that was carefully pinned to the wall in Glaive's control room. Like a patchwork, he had formed it with fragments of about a hundred of different ones.

But there would be no flying without wings. That, along with being the captain, was Nyx’s role on the ship. He took care of what Crowe had fixed up and followed the path Libertus laid out, but there was no other who could steer the Glaive like he did. Brigantine gained speed and maneuverability through his unique patterns of button mashing, work with clutches and steering wheel that made the other two far too dizzy to follow.

It was out in the open darkness of the interstellar space where the three truly shined. On the ground, they seemed as mortal and human as anybody else. They bled and scarred, cried and laughed like any other. But that was what the legends emitted, along with the fact that they were hardly rolling in riches.

But that was why they were here in the first place, wasn’t it?

“You coming?” Nyx called out towards the ship where Crowe was still busy checking the hull.

“A minute!”

It was clear the woman intended to stick around Glaive for more than a minute. Nyx sighed and turned towards the entrance. His hand landed on Libertus’ shoulder as he passed the other. It was quite certain that without him explicitly asking the other to come along the man would not move from Crowe’s side. As far as his fear of the landing platform giving in would allow, anyway.

“We’ll be inside,” Nyx tossed over his shoulder and moved to pull Libertus with him.

He felt some hesitance in Libertus’ form. A quick glance assured that there was indeed a frown on the man’s face. Worried for Crowe. That was hardly new.

“She will be fine for ten minutes, come on.”

What was an abandoned military air station from the outside, sinking into moss and oblivion alike, turned into something entirely different beyond the double metal door that led inside. It was Libertus’ first time in here. The man stepped over the threshold and looked around, his eyes darting between countless items. They lined every wall, every shelf, and container that were strewn about in chaotic pattern much like that of the stars in the space.

From hearing Nyx’s previous accounts about his encounters with the Antiquarian, he had expected a dark, forgotten den that was barely holding together. The reality shattered that expectation. Once a spacious entrance hall, it had been swept clean and repainted, redecorated. Electricity network reworked specifically to house and maintain the Antiquarian’s Grand Collection - the very mess of items of creatures that were all around.

It wasn’t silent inside either. A cacophony of sounds that had engulfed the two men the moment they stepped inside rose and fell like waves. Libertus looked around and started picking apart specific noises that made it up. Hum of electricity from light fixtures in various colors above their heads. Chattering of a massive, two-headed bird that reminded vaguely of a parrot. Ticking and buzzing of strange machines and artifacts. Sound of a stack of leather-bound tomes toppling over on the table where they seemed placed and forgotten.

While Libertus saw the place for the first time and stumbled about in awe, the initial fascination had worn off for Nyx. The man moved forward, following a barely visible, winding path between the shelves that led to the center of the room. Footsteps that hurried to follow him assured the captain that his friend was not lingering either despite making a few complaints about how tight of a squeeze certain sections of the path was. Nyx paid no attention to those, his eyes trained on the goal - a concentrated section of light that sat at the heart of the room.

Finally stepping into it, Nyx staggered to a halt and rose his arm to block the light radiating off the cluster of lightbulbs right overhead. It was hot and near blinding. Did the man feed off the light? Why did he need so much of it? ...On a second thought, he didn’t want to find out the answer to that question after all. Knowing the Antiquarian, it was likely that the answer was just as disturbing as his personality.

“Will you turn that off?” Nyx barked, impatience quickly raising. “I came here for a business, not a sauna.”

“Such temper from a guest! Oh, very well. I suppose I do need to be a welcoming host, don’t I?”

Even without seeing the smug curl of the man’s lips Nyx could feel it like something slimy sneaking up along his skin. His lip curled up in disgust. The only reason Glaive’s crew kept making deals with the unsettling man was the generous payment that was offered for the ambitious heists of his.

Most of the lights above them flickered out, and suddenly the view was much clearer. In the center of the room, entirely out of place, sat a dark throne. Massive, cut from black stone and polished to perfection, it looked out of place among the glass lightbulbs strewn about and tiny, crooked shelves that were stacked with books and strange items alike. Upon the throne sat the Antiquarian himself. He appeared to be little more than a middle-aged man in a gaudy outfit, but the keen curiosity in his gaze warned about far more.

Behind Nyx, Libertus had finally overcome the last narrow section and stumbled into the circle of light as well. His eyebrows furrowed at the sight of the Antiquarian. To him, the man looked ridiculous - a parody of the legend he supposedly was. The unkempt mess of his auburn hair, the bags under his eyes and lines of age that seemed etched on his forehead - he seemed entirely too human. Then the Antiquarian’s gaze met his, and Libertus felt his previous disenchantment disappear like smoke.

The warm-colored eyes watched without any warmth in them. A slight, uneven smile played on the man’s lips, but his eyes remained empty. Observing, judging. A gaze that pierced right through the skin and flesh and echoed into the hollows of his bones. Libertus shuddered and averted his gaze.

“I see you’ve brought a friend. Most delightful,” the mockery in the Antiquarian’s tone rang with the sweetness of honey.

With the man’s attention once more upon him, Nyx lifted his chin a notch. He almost missed the blinding lights now. The eeriness of the Antiquarian’s seeped into strangely shaped shadows that the items on the shelves cast around them. 

Libertus seemed even more unnerved than himself. It was for best to get this over with before his friend did something rash. Nyx took a few steps forward.

“We’re not here for pleasantries.”

The captain reached into the pocket of his coat and pulled out something round, wrapped in a thick fabric to prevent it from damage. Even through the layer of wool surrounding the fragile bauble, he could feel it pulsate with power that made his fingertips tingle. Nyx held the object out to the man on the throne.

At that, the Antiquarian’s eyes lit up with a sheen that was almost dangerous in its intense curiosity. He slipped from the throne. The long coat dragging behind him across the floor, the man approached Nyx. Fingers that briefly grazed the captain’s to retrieve the object in his hands were cold but eager. No witty remarks, mockery or teasing followed - the man was absorbed in the unwrapping of his prize.

The piece of rough fabric unraveled and fell to the floor when it was pulled off and tossed aside with child-like impatience. In the Antiquarian’s hands lay a partially transparent red crystal. It wasn’t much longer than a finger and about twice as thick. Along the side of it ran a deep crack that marred the otherwise pristine object. Still, it throbbed with a deep glow from inside at the rate of a heartbeat.

“Was it damaged the moment you retrieved it?”

A question Nyx had feared. The captain frowned, and his fingers reached for the sleeve of the coat to adjust it as if the fit of it would alleviate how uncomfortable he felt in his own skin. The gaze of his blue eyes remained on the cufflinks of his coat even after the fingers stopped tampering with it. He was not looking forward to meeting the Antiquarian’s gaze.

“Ah… No. The security was onto us sooner than we expected. They shot the ship, we lost balance and crashed into a wall.”

The silence that followed was thick and heavy with something neither Nyx or Libertus were comfortable with. Like the shadows that loomed around, spreading longer and reaching towards the center of the circle of light instead of outward. Even the distant chatter of creatures had ceased. Buzzing of electricity in the quiet felt sharp and cutting. The source of the change in the atmosphere was an unmistakable one. The Antiquarian clutched the red crystal in his palms and stared down the pirates.

“You shouldn’t be so careless with priceless things you do not have the faintest clue about,” he stated, a hint of venom in his voice.

It made Nyx’s skin crawl. He watched the Antiquarian hide the crystal in the folds of his clothes. Even the bulge it created seemed to disappear mere moments later as if it had physically dematerialized. It was one of the things Nyx never questioned, fully aware of the likelihood that he would either not get an answer to that or receive one that would disturb his mind in some entirely new and twisted way.

“We delivered it to you. And it works, right?” Libertus spoke up, far less patient than Nyx was. “So pay up, and we’re on our way.”

The laughter that followed twisted Libertus’ expression into an unsettled frown. The Antiquarian sounded to him more like a raven than he did a man.

“Pay? For a damaged artifact? I do not think so. Its value is almost nonexistent at this point. Your pay follows suit.”

Nyx squared his jaw. Anger flooded him like fire, flowing outwards from his chest through the arteries, reaching his scalp, his fingertips and toes. And then it returned to his chest - colder, bitter and biting like a wolf. He had expected this answer, and he hated it. 

Crowe had not spent days trying to fix Glaive’s damage for no pay. Libertus had not slammed head-first into the side of the ship upon their escape for no pay. He himself had not veered off course to spend a week off the grid when his friends needed medical attention for no pay. 

“Don’t take me for an idiot. That thing is worth at least twice as much as Glaive. You either pay up or you hand it right back, and I am finding someone who is interested in it. You can’t be the only one.”

The Antiquarian’s gaze grew cold as Nyx extended his hand to receive the red crystal back. The man eyed the captain’s extended palm, and his gaze traveled up along his arm, the shoulder, neck until he finally met the blue tinge of Nyx’s eyes. 

Was he scared of a pirate captain? Oh, that would be foolish, he was a mere mortal with only absurd amounts of charisma and bravery working for him. But he was a precious asset Ardyn refused to lose. In this case, it meant a submission to the childish demands.

Pair of cold palms lifted in exasperation, and the long sleeves that partially covered them rolled back to reveal the pale skin underneath. The man offered Nyx a smile - the kind that a parent would give their toddler who finally got their way by throwing a fit in an inconvenient situation.

“I suppose you will receive your pay then,” he heaved a dramatic sigh.

Both pirates relaxed visibly at the promise. The Antiquarian’s lips curled upwards in a knowing smirk at the sight. Oh, they had not had their victory yet.

“Pick it out then! Any one item you can see here. I am sure your profound understanding of the value of these artifacts will come in handy when you are trying to sell it.”

Both men heard the laughter seeping through every word, and Nyx had to grab Libertus’ shoulder when the man moved to confront the Antiquarian. He understood the other’s feelings. This was ridiculous. They had been promised cold, hard gil, not more mind games. But without the constant business that the Antiquarian provided, it would get even harder to survive. The open space did not have sympathy for outcasts that had lost their homeland.

“Fine.”

“Nyx, you can’t be serious!” Libertus followed after him as Nyx strode off to inspect the items lining the crooked shelves surrounding them.

“I am,” the captain hissed back, his gaze snapping to the other with sudden harshness to it.

The way Libertus pulled back made Nyx regret his rash words. He frowned and looked away. This shouldn’t divide them.

“Come on. We have to find the damn most expensive thing around here that he can’t hide in his clothes.”

The mission Nyx had set for them was not an easy one. Even though the spacious room around them was filled with trinkets from the farthest corners of the universe, the true treasures were never displayed. Those the slimy man hid as soon as he got them. Nyx had long since noticed that he never saw any of the items he and his crew retrieved for the Antiquarian around. It was always the same collection, just rearranged every time to appear as if it changed. It didn’t. This was all a show.

What was worse yet - as beautiful, magical the things and creatures on display might have appeared, they were mere shine, no value. Certainly not enough of it to pay for repairs, medical expenses, food, and fuel. There was no way they were getting their money’s worth out of this, but Nyx refused to give up and walk out with empty hands. The man turned to his friend.

“Let’s split up, we can cover more ground like that. Call me if you find something worthwhile.”

Libertus simply nodded. He welcomed some time on his own after Nyx’s outburst. Besides, the place was fascinating, and he hadn’t had enough time to explore it yet. Libertus held his breath and shimmied out between the shelves to inspect the corner of the collection that sat in shade, out of sight.

Darker things lurked where light didn’t reach. Human gaze made spiky and many-legged creatures in glass tanks scurry off to their hiding places. The items could not run, but the mere sight of those was enough to make Libertus keep a safe distance. A ceramic urn was leaking black, slimy liquid through the cracks in the surface. Next to it sat a skull of something with fangs the length of its entire head, and a book. The last one appeared almost harmless until he reached for it, and the cover of it rose as if the object had taken a breath. Libertus withdrew his hand and moved on from the dark corner to find something less creepy.

The gaze of a pirate always looked for signs of treasures - hidden hatches and levers, sections of wall that did not quite align. They had to play dirty to find their money’s worth. It was a harsh challenge, as Libertus soon came to realize. It was hard to find something off in a place where half the things appeared to be arranged with the specific intent to be out of place. Wouldn’t be a surprise considering how weird the Antiquarian guy had turned out to be.

Libertus sighed and trailed his fingers along the wall. Perhaps Nyx had had a better luck? He certainly failed to find anything of inter-

Then it reached him - soft hum of a melody, almost inaudible among the noise that once more filled the room. The man frowned and followed it, searching for the source. It was faint and hard to pick out from the other sounds, but the curiosity was a motivation strong enough to have Libertus squeezing his way through the narrow gaps between the shelves again.

He found the source of the sound alongside with Nyx who seemed to have arrived at the same destination and stared in silent amazement. Libertus stepped forward into the dark niche, hidden behind heavy bookshelves, to see a little better himself.

Like many of the creatures this one was caged as well, the bars that started at the ground level arching outwards and collecting together again high above the ground - a bubble formed of spiked iron bars. Inside of the rusted thorns of the cage, however, sat a piece of sacred garden with its inhabitant huddled comfortably inside a nest-like formation of sticks, feathers, and moss. She was humming away a soft song.

It wasn’t quite clear what sort of being she was supposed to be beyond the fact that it was a ‘she’ and that ‘she’ resembled a human woman. Pale skin, silver hair, pointed ears and frail build. Dressed in flowing, white and blue garments that left her arms naked. Alongside those ran feathers the same silvery tone as her hair. A thick, soft layer of them - shorter towards on her forearms and long, blue-tipped ones near her fingertips.

“What the hell is that thing?” Libertus whispered to Nyx.

“I have no idea.”

Nyx watched her, entranced by the song. It bound him and lured closer. The creature’s voice captured with the sweetness of its melody and she herself - with serenity. Eyelashes casting shade on her cheeks. Soft, barely parted lips. She was beautiful. Nyx took a step closer, drawn in by the creature’s song and appearance alike.

It ceased immediately. One moment crouched comfortably among the softness of moss and singing to herself, the next - she was backing herself up against the opposite side of the cage. The creature had little care for silver feathers and beautiful dress getting caught up in the spikes of the cage. Her chest rose and fell with quick, almost fluttering breaths. A pair of rounded, blue eyes peered at Nyx in terror.

Shaken out of the spell, the captain lifted his hands in a universal sign that he meant no harm and took a step back. He did not know if the creature would understand him, but he hoped she might at least guess his intentions.

“I’m sorry. You don’t need to be scared, okay? See? I’m backing off.”

He took another step back, grabbed Libertus and pulled the other with him as well. His friend was a little less graceful in his retreat and much more reluctant to do so, but did move. Nyx could feel Libertus’ accusing frown pointed at him but kept his eyes on the creature.

She settled, seeing the men retreat from the cage. The creature moved to clasp gentle hands over her chest as if to help her breathing ease. Her bright blue gaze even dared to leave the two as she untangled her feathery wings from spikes. The bottom of her dress had gotten twisted in the cage’s thorns as well, and she knelt to free it. A soft rustling of fabric accompanied the movement. 

The task of freeing herself proved to be a difficult one as the hem of the dress was caught in the cluster of spikes surrounding the lock of the cage - there to prevent her from tampering with it. She pulled in various directions, but the fabric remained stubbornly stuck. The sudden predicament caused a wrinkle of worry on her face.

Singing that enchanted him was there no more, leaving Nyx clear-headed. He glanced at Libertus with a clear question in his gaze. Should they try to help? It happened rarely, but when Nyx hesitated about the course of his own actions, he found himself looking to Libertus. While the man was rash in his language and actions alike, his moral compass was just as sharp as his understanding of the galaxy.

Libertus shrugged. He did not know either. The feathery lady had launched herself straight into a panic fit with just one step closer. Who knew what approaching her even closer would do? On the other hand - it sort of was Nyx’s fault for startling her. And, knowing his hero complex…

“Go help her, I guess? Just don’t scare her again,” he whispered the best advice he could muster from the situation.

“Yeah,” the captain hissed back and half-heartedly glared at Libertus. “I guessed that much myself.”

Nyx inhaled and took a step forward, making sure to make it a confident and loud one. His hands that had dropped at his sides already lifted again for Nyx to meet the gaze of the creature with a look as unthreatening as possible. That should help, right? When her head turned to him, the man flashed a lopsided smile.

“It’s okay. I’ll help.”

Either the words themselves or their meaning seemed lost on the creature. She frowned back at him timidly and didn’t budge an inch, as stiff as a moment ago. Nyx nodded towards the hem of her dress, and she followed his gaze. The frown eased from the creature’s face. Hands that had been insistently pulling at the silk lifted to rest against her chest again, and she nodded. Blue eyes continued to watch the pirate, however.

Hands still in the air, Nyx made his way around the cage. He knelt down in front of the creature but didn’t reach out just yet. He’d seen her stiffen out of the corner of his eye. Still terrified. He really didn’t want to send this woman, this-… Whatever-she-was into yet another set of spikes. The man looked up at her and smiled again, but said nothing this time.

Libertus had opted to stay where he was and watch from afar. As much as he would enjoy a closer look, Nyx was clearly the charmer of Glaive’s crew, and if someone was about to make the bird lady calm down enough to free her, it was probably him.

It appeared that Libertus was right on that account - the creature didn’t try to squirm away from Nyx reached into the cluster of spikes. The shit-eating grin of captain’s that followed had Libertus rolling his eyes, but the creature seemed calm. No surprise, he’d seen Nyx get away with craziest of things if he just flashed his teeth a little at some damsel. Damn womanizer.

Given enough time to overcome her fear, the creature grew curious. She watched as Nyx reached inside the maze of metal spikes to free her. Bright blue and clear, her gaze followed the lines of concentration between the man’s eyebrows, the outline of his face until the dark markings on his skin caught her attention. Beautiful. She leaned closer, fingertips reaching gingerly to touch the slightly faded ink underneath the man’s eye.

“Shit!”

With a quick jerk, Nyx pulled his hand back, but not before a couple of deep red drops had already landed on the hem of the creature’s dress. They soaked in, the brilliant color dulling slightly as it became one with the fabric. The captain assessed the damage - injury ran along the side of his palm, a couple of inches long. For a cut as insignificant as that it bled like hell, though.

Movement inside the cage made him lift his gaze. The creature had moved closer rather than back. She reached her hand out through the bars for Nyx’s. Determination burning in the blue gaze assured that the bloody mess did not scare her. Nyx still hesitated but was not given a chance to persist with that for very long.

Soft and warm, the pale fingers wrapped around his wrist and pulled it inside the cage.

She sang to him. Not in the way humans did. It was not her vocal cords that vibrated. It was the entirety of her - every sound made her shift. Forward and back, like the rise and fall of the waves against the sand of the coast. Feathers along the creature’s arms flared out, unfolded into the wings that they were. Half the length of her, beautiful and strong. 

Nyx watched in silent astonishment as the creature then pulled his hand to her chest. The pain eased, the gash in the skin closed. Traces of blood remained, however. Bright red against the sun-kissed skin of his.

Something of a coo escaped her as the caged creature released Nyx’s hand once more and smiled at him as wide as she could. It was a smile that echoed in her eyes, and even blue seemed a warm color all of a sudden.

“I see you have found my songbird,” the Antiquarian’s voice, void of its usual playfulness, froze whatever warmth had blossomed in the hidden crevice of the Grand Collection. 

Unlike the creature in the cage that instantly deflated and gathered her wings, Nyx and Libertus were bolder. There were weapons that empowered their every move, hidden along the edges of their clothing for easy access. Libertus squared up, not letting the Antiquarian walk by him while Nyx remained next to the cage.

“What is she?” Nyx demanded.

“None of your concern. Now, why don’t you carry on browsing for an item I can pay you with? I am sure there’s a shiny bauble somewhere that you can sell for a good price.”

The captain rose to his full height in a single slow, smooth movement. It was not his gaze that warned the Antiquarian, it was his jaw. The clenched teeth that bit back an insult. The pride that burned in the tight line of his lifted chin. And the victory that coursed through every cell of his being.

“I choose her.”

Silence. Heavy and dark. It weighed down even the air around them, making it hard to breathe. But Nyx withstood the merciless gaze of the amber eyes that watched him with sudden malice behind the pretend warmth. The captain knew well enough that he asked for something that was not included in the offer. That was why she was hidden, right? She was priceless, whoever she was.

The Antiquarian let out a dry laugh after the pause had dragged on for a while more without Nyx backing down. If there was no arguing the man, he had to placate him. Losing Glaive’s crew and their particular skill for returning whatever he asked for would considerably encumber him. All these meaningless tasks he did not care to waste his time on.

“I am afraid she is not for sale. Now, let us see about arranging a payment for your efforts to acquire the item I asked for. I believe I should have some coin that you love so stored away for less fortunate times.”

“That sounds better,” Nyx circled the cage without looking at the creature in it. “Twice the Glaive’s worth.”

“Three times if you forget about my songbird.”

“Done.”

The Antiquarian’s smile regained its dramatically fake pleasantness as he heard the bold answer offered to him without hesitation. Pirates. Thankfully, they were easy to manipulate with money.

“Very well, follow me, captain.”

Nyx headed forward with a satisfied smile. Oh, he was getting his time’s worth out of this transaction. More than that actually. Passing Libertus, he thrust something into the man’s hands - a knife with a red handle. A sign to capture his mark and prepare Glaive for an escape. Nyx’s face and voice did not betray the intentions, however.

“I will be out shortly. You can go check on Crowe. I know you’ve been dying to.”

Libertus frowned and slipped the knife under his clothes. Shit, what now? Stealing from the Antiquarian? This was going from a bad day downhill really fast.

“Yeah. ...Don’t be long.”

Libertus sighed and watched Nyx leave out of the corner of his eye, pretending to struggle to get a rock out of his boot to linger behind himself. As soon as the Antiquarian and Nyx were out of view, he turned back towards the room behind him, following Nyx’s trail with his eyes. Red, like the handle of the knife. The mark had to be red.

Heavy cream-colored curtains covering the walls, none of which were touched, there was nothing along the black walls or on the floor. And nothing worth of interest inside the cage next to the ‘songbird’ lady either. Feathers and moss. Green. Nothing red. Nothing-...

Libertus’ gaze froze as the creature moved to pull the hem of her finally freed dress away from the edge of the cage. Her fingers traced over the stain left by Nyx’s blood. Soaked in the fabric, it was losing its brilliant tone to give way to a much duller brown. But not yet. Not brown yet. It was red. Goddamn fucking red.

“Oh, you cannot be serious...”

The man groaned and ran a hand through his hair. He was going to turn prematurely grey because of Nyx’s stupid ideas. 

The creature inside the cage jumped back as Libertus came running towards her. Wings flared out as a defense this time, covering most of her like a feathered armor. The thin lips parted to voice her distress. 

At that, the stranger stopped dead in his tracks and held his hands up with a suddenly panicked expression.

“Don’t scream. It’s okay. Nyx told me to get you.” He nodded back towards where the two men had left, trying to keep his voice down.

Libertus was not sure if it was going to work. The creature watched him, unwavering in her distrust. How the hell did she trust Nyx so easily? Because he was handsome? That was a bunch of bullshit then.

“Listen,” he took a step closer, carefully. “I’ll get you out of there. Okay? You come with me. To safety. Do you understand?”

The wings lowered at the creature’s sides. She stepped closer to the bars encasing her and the little world of hers. The womanly figure leaned against the barbed iron. Careful to place her one hand between the metal spikes, she found her balance. The other hand reached outside, beckoning Libertus closer.

There was some odd allure about her that made the man move. The depth of the blue eyes tempted, and the faint smile curling her lips assured of safety. Before Libertus even realized what he was doing, he had moved close enough. The pale hand grabbed his collar and pulled him close. A surprising amount of strength pressed the pirate against the bars as the creature searched his eyes for something.

What she found was surprise. Embarrassment. Spite. Wish… To fight her?

The creature’s hand let go, and she stepped back into the center of her barred prison. A chattering sound that suspiciously reminded of laughter escaped past the hands that had clasped over her mouth. The giggle died down quickly. Gentle hands fell back down, and her head bobbed up and down, a soft coo escaping. Agreement to come along.

Libertus did not move for a moment, shaken after the close encounter of his throat with a particular spike on the cage he had not even noticed until the spell of the creature wore off. He rubbed the miniscule cut the poking metal had left on the side of his neck to get rid of the sting. Too close for comfort. But that was how it usually went with Nyx in charge.

“He best be thankful I think of him as his brother,” Libertus mumbled and stepped closer to the cage.

A quick look around assured Libertus that they were still alone, and he knelt down by the lock to undo it. He did not need a key. The pirate twirled the knife left in his care and jammed the tip of it into the keyhole. It was thin enough to find all the little grooves and bumps inside. Having mapped out the inside of the lock, Libertus manipulated the pressure to simulate the one a key would make. 

It was a fairly foolproof method with a lock this simple. The downside of the process was the sound that made his tongue taste of rust. Metal scraping against metal - a faint sound, but the creature covered her ears as if it was piercing. Damn, she must have the ears of a dog.

Click.

Libertus carefully removed the lock, trying not to cut his hand like Nyx had before. Patience helped. Small wiggle there, pull one way, then another, and the lock was in his hand - a piece of cold, heavy steel. Libertus pocketed it. Crowe was always running out of solid steel to fix up small holes in the hull. Which meant he could earn a satisfied little grin from her if he presented something they could melt down when it came to a pinch.

The man stood and opened the door of the cage. It creaked open, louder than the lock before had been. Libertus glanced nervously to where Nyx and the Antiquarian had disappeared. Thankfully, not a sign of those two. 

“Come on,” he held his hand out to the creature.

Once again she hesitated, but the awkward smile pirate to her offered seemed to ease the worries. A pale hand was placed in his, and Libertus pulled the creature out. However, they had no time to linger about after that. As good as Nyx was at talking up a storm to give him and Crowe some time window to work their magic, it was not limitless. 

“Sorry about this.”

He wrapped his arm around the lady’s waist to secure her at his side and hurried off towards the exit. With every step of the heavy boots, Libertus had to wince and soften his pace a little more to make their escape less apparent. The creature at his side let out a nervous coo, but once pulled out of the niche and into the brightness of the lights, she became quiet and followed along, quietly running alongside Libertus with her bare feet not making a smidge of a noise.

It was past the door where Libertus’ steps slowed suddenly. What stopped the man entirely was a slight creak of the landing platform. The hydraulics adjusting to shifting of the Glaive as the ship’s engine warmed up with its significant slight vibration - Crowe appeared to be done with fixing her up. While Glaive already prepared for a take-off was a pleasant sound, Libertus was not all that glad to be out here where everything was old, rusty and way too creaky.

“Shit...”

As if Libertus’ plight was not big enough yet, the creature at this side wiggled out of his grasp and rushed on forward on her on. She was light, and even if the whole thing came down - had wings. How was he supposed to chase that?!

“SHIT!”

Crowe peeked at Libertus around the curve of the hull, brows furrowed. There was a smear of oil on her shoulder, and a couple of the dark strands of hair were sticking to her forehead where beads of sweat had broken out. However, she seemed far more bothered with the reason why Libertus was swearing.

“What are you cursing for? We did get paid, right? ...Tell me we got paid, Libertus.”

“Don’t mind that. Catch her,” he nodded his head pointedly at the figure that was long since out of his grasp.

The explanation had not been sufficient for Crowe, and she parted her lips for a protest. Libertus gave her a desperate stare - ‘now!’. She clamped her lips shut and tightened her jaw. This better be damn important.

Crowe made a loop around the hull to get the target in her view. It was a woman. A tiny thing, whoever she was. And awfully interested in the transparent solar panels of the sails - her finger poked at one of them. If nothing else, the target had a good taste in matters she chose to be curious about. It could be used. After all, women could be seduced with smiles and gentle words as easily as men with lecherous comments.

Too bad she loathed seduction.

Crowe went from a careful step to a sprint and a jump in a couple of seconds. With little grace and a lot of strength she tackled the woman and pinned her against the hull. The pirate steeled her stance and caught the other’s arms behind her back to keep the stranger from resisting. It was only when a flurry of feathers came between them that Crowe understood that the one in her grip was not a simple woman.

Crowe’s brown eyes widened, but she did not back down. As annoying as feathers were, they didn’t hurt. Nor did the awkward struggle that the creature put up in the uncomfortable position.

“What the hell is she?!”

Libertus glanced at the entrance to the Antiquarian’s quarters as he made his way across to Crowe, as hurriedly as his own inhibitions to move across the landing platform allowed. Their time was more than limited so fear had to wait for a better time.

“We stole her. Just get her on the ship. Gently? She looks kinda crushable.”

Crowe didn’t move, her gaze not wavering. She was not about to be denied answers twice. Those first, then - compliance.

Libertus submitted to the fire burning in the brown eyes. This was possibly the worst time to start a fight with Crowe. They needed to be a team to get away safely.

“Okay, okay. I don’t know what she is. The Antiquarian guy calls her a songbird. She’s his secret pet or something, was locked away in a cage,” Libertus explained in one breath before softening his gaze. “Will you get her inside now? Please, Crowe. If we get caught, it’s over.”

The woman sighed and took a step back finally. As poor of an explanation as it had been, it would have to be enough to serve as some sort of basis. For now. She nodded and released her hold on the feathered thing. Crowe still opted to keep her arm around the creature’s shoulders to remind it that running was still not an option.

“Come on. You’re with us now.”

Crowe felt the creature turn to look at her, but could not bring herself to respond to the gaze. It was painful how human the thing felt - warm, fragile and spiteful enough to struggle instead of freezing when she was caught. Tense shoulders, shuddering breaths and… Wings, apparently. Not pinned up, the feathers cascaded down and brushed against the cut in Crowe’s pants, tickling the skin underneath.

The pirate was glad to rush the creature inside and step back a little. It was easier to distance herself and think this way. Her gaze fell on Libertus, and her inner turmoil calmed enough to become manageable. Somehow his very presence always seemed to have that effect. Crowe sighed and leaned against the wall by the entrance.

“What is this, Libertus?”

“I don’t know either. It was Nyx’s idea.”

Crowe’s teeth gnawed on her bottom lip. Stealing was not what worried her. They had done plenty of pillaging and wreaked havoc all over the damn universe. Being a pain in the arse to authority was a thing she prided herself in with the flourish and arrogance of a peacock. But there were certain boundaries she would not cross.

“...I’m not slave trading,” she finally uttered; her words were softly spoken, but indisputable.

Libertus did not answer. A deep wrinkle appeared between his brows. He would follow Nyx into the eternity and beyond. There was a glimmer of hope for this whole universe in the man, and Libertus didn’t have the heart to believe that the captain would sell his soul for money. They were pirates, not monsters.

Trust, no matter how deep it ran, was a fragile thing, though. Like a sandcastle crumbling to a stronger breeze or a wave, it could be easily affected if one left empty space for heavy silence and doubt. And the doubt would spread, weaving its way around their hearts like a cage of thorns. But it was not allowed the time to do so.

A coo got the attention of both pirates. The creature had returned to their side and stared at the two with almost childishly innocent eyes. Libertus, who had fallen under her spell once, knew to resist but did not do so. Perhaps it was better to let her just run off and be free, better not ponder about Nyx’s reasoning for stealing her.

The creature’s hand landed on his shoulder. She smiled, and the room brightened. Worries forgotten, old pains at the very core of him easing for just a moment. It was easier to exist. And next to Libertus, Crowe’s reaction was much the same as her arm was touched as well.

That was how Nyx found them - utterly lost in the creature’s charm. The feathery miracle herself seemed busy inspecting their faces, blue eyes focused with childish wonder on scruffle of Libertus’ beard in one moment and Crowe’s angled jawline the next. Even Nyx’s steps that fell with rhythmic, heavy thuds on the metal steps served as no cause for a reaction in either of the three.

The captain shook his head and reached out to pat both Crowe and Libertus on their backs.

“Come on. We should get moving before we’re caught. Wouldn’t want to ruin our stellar reputation.”

Along with Nyx, Glaive’s very own beating heart had returned. Libertus and Crowe exchanged a quick glance before hurrying off to their posts. Trust won over doubt.

From its very depths, the ship came alive. A soft whirr of the particle engine as it vibrated under the floor panels. The creature jumped at first before leaning down to inspect the engine through the ventilation gap in the floor, her head tilted to the side slightly.

As Nyx took his place at the steering wheel, he paid attention to the few beeps from Libertus adjusting the course they were to take. A long loop through the space between Aldebaran and Pleiades where war waged. Dangerous detour, but a necessary one to lose the tail if they happened to be followed. The captain gave a nod of approval and began the take-off.

At the same time, Crowe had disappeared under the command board to tweak the resistance of their shields at the cost of the excess fuel. One peek at Libertus’ course gave her a good idea that they would need the extra protection. A lot of it.

Meanwhile, the creature trotted around the control room with careless curiosity. The three pirates watched her from the corner of their eyes. Like blue mirrors, her own reflected all that she saw, all that made her linger. Air vent. A patched piece of the hull. Command board with its lights and switches. Crowe underneath it. And the giant reinforced glass window in the front of the ship. That one the creature was drawn to almost physically. Gentle hands pulled her garments up an inch from the ground to not get caught up in them, and she rushed to the window.

Green treetops and remains of a massive metal structure. Birds and flowers, and sky and clouds. And then it all changed as they leaped forward in space, and suddenly it became dark. Instead of sun it was the stars guided the way here. The whole universe in its peaceful darkness.

Her lips parted for a sound of awe, hands and nose pressed to the window. The creature stared out the window with little care that she was obscuring the view for the captain. Her warm breath left a small patch of fog on the glass as she stared into the deepest black she had ever seen.

The unspoken question of future plans still hung in the air. It made Nyx act to ease everyone back into the spirit of adventurers - the most natural feeling while standing on the deck of Glaive. He turned to Libertus and nodded for him to take over the steering wheel for a moment. There was a matter he wanted to settle as soon as possible.

A little reluctant, his friend complied and got a good grip on the steering wheel as he took Nyx’s place. Libertus frowned. Unlike the captain himself, he found the creature an obstacle for his vision, obscuring the path ahead.

Thankfully, she did not remain for long and instead answered to Nyx calling out to her. Libertus let out a relieved sigh as he watched the creature leave his field of vision. Blue and white, the ornamental scarves of her robes trailed behind her as did a couple of stray feathers that fluttered to the floor. 

She stepped forward without much of a noise at all to join the man that called for her. A little hesitant, the creature stepped onto the panels under which the engine pulsed with power. The slight change in the vibration as Crowe succeeded in adjusting their power distribution seemed to be enough to make her jump again. She dashed across the vibrating part of the floor and hid behind Nyx, shamelessly using him as a human shield.

The captain laughed and pulled her out from behind him.

“The engine doesn’t bite. You’re safe.”

It was clearly the smirk accompanying his words that earned Nyx a slight pout from the creature. Still, it remained a mystery if she understood what he was telling her. It was worth an attempt to explain, though. She deserved that much, taken out from the relative safety of her cage and into the open, dark space.

Nyx gripped the creature by her shoulders. His hands were extremely gentle - she looked far too fragile to be handled roughly. And by the look of some bent feathers, had likely encountered Crowe in a bad mood already. Despite that, she did not struggle or shy away from his touch. A faint rosiness dusted her cheeks, though, as the creature allowed Nyx to guide her towards the patchwork of a map that Libertus had placed on the largest accessible wall in the command room.

The creature looked at it in confusion before glancing up at Nyx, unsure what he expected of her.

“This is a map of the entire universe, everything that exists. We’ll find your home out there. We'll take you there. Wherever you come from.”

Seeing her lips curve up in a smile was much like watching his very first sunrise. The coldness of the night, of the entire universe retreated in the light of her brilliant happiness. All of a sudden nothing else in the world existed but her - beaming, hopeful and so very beautiful.

“Home,” the creature repeated in a voice that sounded more like a song than human language, and nodded so enthusiastically that the silvery locks of her hair bounced along with the movement of her head despite the usual lack of springiness of her straight hair.

Nyx took a breath as a realization took root. Charmed. More so than he had been with whatever magic she had wielded against him before. This time it was the kind of magic that bound one’s very heart. And in that split second he knew - he’d do anything for her.


End file.
